Chaotic Harmony
by midnightdawn014
Summary: An Ardyn short. Just some ideas I had about his past I thought I would play around with along with some info that was known about him at the time. Hope you enjoy. Thanks to any comments, reviews, feedback in advance.
1. Part 1

Part 1 – Awakening Chaos

"Sir, are you alright? You were found unconscious. Izunia? Is that your name? You kept repeating it."

"My name…Ardyn…Izunia." _I'll never forget about you Izunia. They will pay for what they did to you!_

~Early Days~

"Som!" The boy sighed. He spent all morning searching for his younger brother. He already checked all his usual hideouts but it looked like he hadn't been to any of them in days. Their parents were going to be very upset with him. He was supposed to keep an eye on his brother and not let him wander off alone. He can already hear how his parents will say his name, "Ardyn", as they always did when they were displeased with him, even though it was his younger brother who was at fault. If only his brother would be the one who would get in trouble and not him. Today might be the day when he'll run out of love and patience for his brother.

"Oh Gods, please help me find my brother so that I can break his leg to make sure he'll never disappear on me again."

At that moment, a whimpering cry broke out from the distant woods. Ardyn turned towards the woods, the only place he never thought about checking. His brother would have never wandered into the woods on his own and he couldn't possibly imagine what he would be doing there today. Ardyn hoped that cry was his brother's and not one of those wild creatures. Dread started to fill his thoughts as he walked into the woods. His heart beating faster with each step as he now worried whether his brother ran into a creature and got dragged into the woods. He moved cautiously, ears straining for the cry he heard earlier. Sudden movement in a tree overhead made him freeze in his tracks. There was a foot that disappeared into the branches.

 _That's…_ "Som!" Ardyn rushed over to the tree fearing that a creature had taken his younger brother.

A tearful younger boy peered out from between the branches. The fear Ardyn carried earlier faded into anger. All this time his brother was in a tree.

"Somnus!" He climbed up the tree ready to scold his brother but the sight of Ardyn made Somnus break into a smile. Ardyn tried to cling to his anger but as always, his brother's smile melted it away.

"What are you up to Som?"

Somnus grinned, his brother called him by his nickname, a sign that he wasn't upset with him anymore.

"Happy Astral Day! I got you a gift."

"We're supposed to offer gifts to the Gods, not to each other."

"So you didn't get a gift for me, but I got you a gift."

"I don't know about you, but attending my brother's funeral isn't much of a gift."

"I'm not dead! I'm stuck!"

"Until you fall and break your neck."

"But I won't because you're here now and I got your favorite fruit. I didn't know how to get down carrying them." Somnus proudly held up a sack filled with fruit.

Ardyn sighed, he really couldn't stay mad at his brother. "You know I always get you a gift at the festival. So let's get going or nothing good will be left and Mom will notice we're missing and send us to the Gods." Ardyn turned his back to his brother gesturing for him to climb on. "Hold on." Somnus wrapped his arms around his brother's neck tightly. "Som, you don't have to hold on so tightly."

Somnus mumbled a sorry, loosened his grip and shut his eyes.

"How did you make it up without a problem but can't make it back down?"

"It's not scary looking up, but it is when you look down."

"Then don't look down."

"How am I supposed to climb down without looking, I won't see where I'm going."

"So don't climb up again."

"You're just cranky because you didn't get to see Stella yet."

Ardyn started to let go of his brother making Somnus cling onto him more tightly. "Don't drop me!"

"Fine, I'll carry you all the way home like a baby."

Somnus opened his eyes and noticed they were already on the ground and climbed off his brother's back.

"I deserve that fruit now, hand it over."

"You said it was for the Gods. So can't have any unless you catch me!"

Somnus raced off, occasionally looking back to check how far behind his brother was. As usual, Ardyn let Somnus have a big lead on him. Ardyn lost sight of him when Somnus went over a hill. Just as Ardyn was about to go over the hill, Somnus crashed into him looking frightened and watching over his shoulder. Ardyn looked over the horizon and his blood chilled at the sight of a man with the distinct markings of the plague approaching them. He pushed Somnus behind him and quickly scanned the area for anything that he can use for a weapon.

"Stay back!" He held his hand out for emphasis and was startled to find a light glowing out of it. The light burst out of his hand and surrounded the man. The plague marks faded at the light's touch and it drew back into Ardyn's hand.

Ardyn stared at his hands in shock. _What is this feeling?_

 _Power,_ a voice reverberated inside his head. _Finally, a host that can bring us life. Accept us and awaken the power gifted to you by the Gods._


	2. Part 2

Part 2 - Beautiful Chaos

 _It is one of origin unknown. It was either forgotten or erased by its own hand or another's. It is lost, seeking to be found or seeking for one to lose. It slips into existence._

~End of Days~

"Stell!" A young man dashed down the steps towards a young lady named Stella. "What are you doing?" He reached over and took the watering can out of her hands. "Let me do that, you need to take care of yourself for the baby."

Stella straightened up and pouted. "I'm barely doing anything Som. The baby is fine."

 _Do you see how happy they are without you Ardyn?_

Ardyn stopped walking up the path to the house and paused under the shade. He shook his head. Lately, the Godly voices in his head were getting louder. It must be his proximity to the crystal that's making a stronger connection between him and the Gods. The Gods don't waste a single opportunity to test him. Though he failed to see what the Gods were testing by voicing such strange notions.

"The doctor said you have to stay off your feet as much as you can. So just let me do all the work."

"I'm not an invalid, I'm with child."

 _With your brother's child._

"Stop!"

Ardyn's sudden shout reached Somnus and Stella in the garden. Somnus looked over and spotted Ardyn down the trail. Grinning, he raced down to meet his brother.

"You're back!" Somnus threw his arms around Ardyn. He took his brother's bags and pulled him up the trail. "How was your travel this time? Did you get me a gift?"

"Haven't you outgrown them?"

"So does that mean when your little one reaches my age I should stop spoiling him?"

"I don't think Som will be able to stop spoiling our Izunia." Stella stroked her round belly as she waited for the brothers.

"Izunia?"

"I hope you don't mind. I chose a name while you were away." Stella put her arms around Ardyn and kissed him.

"That was our family name."

"You may have been blessed by the crystal to carry a new name, but that doesn't change who you were and who you're going to be. I met you as an Izunia and you are still the Izunia I know and love, nothing will change that. So let's not keep it in the past, it belongs with our future."

"Izunia," Ardyn wrapped an arm around Stella as they walked into their house. "It'll be a fine name."

"Your Papa is back little one." Somnus reached out to pat Stella's belly. "Your little one is excited to have you back, he just kicked!"

Ardyn smiled fondly. "I'm excited to be back as well."

"The crystal better not make you travel before Stell gives birth."

"But I understand if you must, the people need you. Did you already see the crystal when you got back? Did it tell you where and when you need to go next?"

 _Do you remember what the crystal said? It felt the presence of a newly created sin growing into life. What being was created, living and growing but the child you believe to be your own. Who else is able to commit that sin but your brother?_

"No!"

"No? It's not like you have to see the crystal right away anyway. You're doing all the hard work, traveling for months to cure people. The crystal should come see you. You must be exhausted, relax and let Uncle Som take care of everything! I'll go check on how's the cook doing."

"We're having your favorite! Som won't say it but he's sick of it. It's all I want lately. Our Izunia is just like you."

Ardyn watched Stella affectionately. He noticed that she looked more tired compared to when he last saw her. The pregnancy had been hard on her. She curled up against him and continued to update him on all that happened while he was away. She eventually dozed off in his arms. The peaceful atmosphere lulled Ardyn into dreaming.

 _Under the light of the moon, we saw a young couple with two little ones. Punished by the Gods with an ailing child until we offered them the salvation they desired, if they could afford the price. Anything can be offered we're told, so accept we did. We were scattered and we needed one to be whole. You have made us whole and now we can breath anew again._

"Lord Ardyn!"

Ardyn opened his eyes slowly to find one of the locals hovering over him. The local kept repeating something over and over but Ardyn could not process it. His mind was still wandering the land of dreams. He tried to take in the scene but his thoughts were clouded and his movements heavy. He managed to get to his feet and look around to discover that he was in the chamber of the crystal. He had no idea how and when he got here. His last memory was with…

"Stella"

"Yes your wife! She's gone into labor!"

Ardyn worked up to shake the fogginess he was feeling and hurried back home.

Back at the estate, Somnus was frantically pacing. Stella had gone into labor a month before she was expected to give birth, the morning Ardyn suddenly left to go see the crystal. Somnus got someone to fetch the midwife and his brother. The midwife had arrived and forced Somnus out of the room so Somnus couldn't think of anything to do but make his rounds between the window and Stella's room. If Ardyn didn't get word yet, his wife's piercing screams would surely reach him. Eventually, Stella's screams were replaced with the sounds of a baby's cries. Somnus sighed in relief and wished his brother could have been here. All of the sudden, the midwife ran out of the room shrieking.

"That is no child! It's a demon!"

Somnus quickly entered the room and was hit with the mixed stench of blood and sweat. On the rumpled bedsheets laid Stella lifeless with her newborn wailing beside her. Somnus covered Stella not knowing what else he could do for her and tended to the infant.

"It's alright little guy, Uncle Som is here." Somnus gently picked the infant up and nearly dropped him in shock. The infant's body was covered in black veins that emitted dark vapours. "No, you can't be afflicted with the plague. Don't worry Izu, we're going to see your Papa and he'll make it all better."

By the time Ardyn arrived at their estate, Somnus had already left to look for him at the crystal's chambers. Ardyn went through the house questioning its silence. Dread filled him when he found Stella looking pale and expressionless covered in bloodied sheets.

 _Your brother has taken the child for himself and left your wife for dead._

Anger filled Ardyn making him rush out and grab the first person he saw to demand for his brother to be found. He quickly learned that Somnus was on his way to the crystal.

"Why are you doing this Somnus!"

 _He is jealous of you._

"He will regret this!" Ardyn ventured back towards the crystal destroying everything that stood in his way.

Meanwhile, Somnus entered the chamber of the crystal unaware of his brother's mad rampage.

"Ardyn! Are you here? We must have just missed him. We should have waited for him at home."

The crystal glowed washing them in its light. Izunia whimpered at the touch of the light. Somnus tried to rock Izunia to calm him.

"Just hang on little guy."

The light of the crystal pulsed out more strongly as its voice echoed out throughout the chamber. _"You've found the reason for the dark times ahead, now it must be destroyed."_

"What are you talking about? You must be mistaken. This is Ardyn's son, Izunia. He just has the plague, once Ardyn heals him, he'll be right as rain."

 _"_ _So he is the one who planted the creation of this sin. They cannot be allowed to exist."_

"You must have this all wrong."

 _"_ _It is you who has the markings of the one who is sought. The King prophesized to bring salvation. One who does not give birth to darkness but birth to the light. Birth to the True King."_

The crystal shone even brighter, flooding the chamber with light. Izunia squirmed in his blanket and let out a shattering cry as the light slowly reduced him to dust. Ardyn arrived at that moment and witnessed the last moments of his son. He charged at Somnus who was frozen in shock holding an empty blanket.

"What did you do to my son!" Ardyn knocked Somnus across the chamber.

 _Your brother just wanted a child that he could sacrifice to the Gods in exchange for making him King._

Ardyn turned towards the crystal and put his hands on it. He started taking on the same appearance as his newborn son. His veins turned black and a dark aura surrounded him.

"Was I not the one who was supposed to be King! I've endured your trials! The Gods entrusted you to their chosen King. To me! Because I was blessed by the Gods with this gift!"

 _"_ _That is no gift from the Gods. You are seen for what you are now. You are a deceiver, hiding behind the words of performing the works of Gods."_ The crystal's light burned at Ardyn's hands.

 _We are not so weak that we drown in the light of a flickering candle._

Ardyn pulled his hands away from the crystal and held his head. "You, you're not the voice of the Gods."

 _We never claimed that we were one of the Gods. We are a being greater than the Gods. And you will be just as great._

"You used me."

 _We did not. It was your own kin, your own Gods. Don't you remember that night? Your memories have been returning, appearing in your dreams._

"That dream of that young couple."

 _Your parents were abandoned by your Gods and were cursed with an ill child._

"Somnus. He was born weak and he was often sick."

 _And we granted you the power to save him like you did with countless others. And this is how you were repaid. If you did not save him, your wife and child would still be alive._

Somnus watched his brother's appearance turn demonic as he spoke with himself. He stepped towards his brother, holding onto the crystal for support. The crystal glowed once more and Somnus' arm was sucked in. He felt his arm numbing inside the crystal and pulled it out as quickly as he could to find a sword in his hand. Somnus gripped the sword and faced his brother.

"You're not my brother!" Somnus raised the sword and ran it through Ardyn.

Ardyn fell to his knees, bleeding black blood into the dust left behind by his son. "You'll pay, I will take the light from your world and happiness will never exist for you."


End file.
